Hair treatment composition

Abstract

Method and composition for modifying moisture retention of hair and thus improving its settability which comprises applying to hair an aqueous solution containing a heximinium salt and a resorcinol under conditions promoting in situ polymerization.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition for decreasing hair hygroscopicity and thus imparting improved settability to keratin fibers, which comprises an aqueous solution containing a sufficient amount of heximinium salt and a sufficient amount of a resorcinol to form in situ in the keratin fibers a keratin fiber setting amount of a condensation polymer derived from said heximinium salt and said resorcinol. 
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the heximinium salt has the formula [C 6  H 12  N 4  R 1  ]X and the resorcinol has the formula ##STR5## R 1  is a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or olefinic group containing up to 18 carbon atoms, X is a halide, and R 2  is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       3. A composition according to claim 2 wherein R 1  contains from 2 to 18 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said heximinium salt decomposes in the aqueous solution to form decomposition products R 1  NH 2 , NH 3  and CH 2  O, which decomposition products form intermediate products CH 2  ═NHR and CH 2  ═NH 2  which react with the resorcinol to form the condensation polymer wherein R 1  is a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or olefinic group containing up to 18 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the heximinium salt is a member selected from the group consisting of [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 2  H 5  ]I, [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH(CH 3 ) 2  ]I,   [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 2  H 5  OH]I, [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH 2  C 6  H 5  ]Br,   [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH═CHCH 2  Cl]Cl, [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 14  H 29  ]I,   [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 18  H 37  ]Br and [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH 2  CH═CH 2  ]Br and the resorcinol is a member selected from the group consisting of resorcinol and 2-methyl resorcinol.     
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the mole ratio of heximinium salt and resorcinol in the aqueous solution is 1:5 to 1:1. 
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution has an initial pH in the range of 4 to 8. 
     
     
       8. The composition of claim 1 for imparting improved settability to hair comprising 1 to 20% by weight hemiminium salt and 5 to 50% by weight resorcinol. 
     
     
       9. A novel condensation polymer comprising the reaction product of heximinium salt and resorcinol. 
     
     
       10. The condensation polymer of claim 9, wherein the heximinium salt has the formula [C 6  H 12  N 4  R 1  ]X and the resorcinol has the formula ##STR6## where R 1  is a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl, aryl, aralky or olefinic group containing up to 18 carbon atoms, X is a halide and R 2  is hydrogen or a alkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       11. The condensation polymer of claim 9 wherein the polymer is formed in an aqueous solution and the heximinium salt decomposes in the aqueous solution to form decomposition products R 1  NH 2 , NH 3  and CH 2  O, which decomposition products form intermediate products CH 2  ═NHR 1  and CH 2  ═NH 2  which react with the resorcinol to form the condensation polymer wherein R 1  is a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain, alkyl, aryl aralkyl or olefinic group containing up to 18 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       12. The condensation polymer of claim 9 wherein the heximinium salt is a member selected from the group consisting of [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 2  H 5  ]I, [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH(CH 3 ) 2  ]I,   [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 2  H 5  OH]I, [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH 2  C 6  H 5  ]Br,   [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH═CHCH 2  Cl]Cl, [C 6  H 12  N 4  C 19  H 29  ]I,   C 6  H 12  N 4  C 18  H 37  ]Br and [C 6  H 12  N 4  CH═CH 2  ]Br, and the resorcinol is a member selected from the group consisting of resorcinol and 2-methyl resorcinol.     
     
     
       13. The condensation polymer of claim 9 wherein the mole ratio of the heximinium salt and resorcinol reactant is 1:5 to 1:1. 
     
     
       14. The condensation polymer of claim 9 wherein the heximinium salt and the resorcinol reaction is carried out in an aqueous reaction solution at a pH in the range of 4 to 8.